Plant profile: how to grow Hostas

This week on The Horti-Culturalists we're taking a close look at a popular group of very useful perennial plants - Hostas! We're at Gentiana nursery in Victoria which has one of the best collections of Hostas in the country to learn what these wonderful plants need to thrive, how to use them in the garden, how to grow them in pots, how and when to divide them and how to use them in the garden. We'll be looking at twenty varieties to explore the differences in form, colour, size and variegation....and might not be leaving empty handed! And many thanks to Craig for letting us run wild in his Hosta house!
You can find out more about Gentiana Nursery here: gentia
nanursery.com.au/
And if you're interested in learning more about horticulture you can at the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria here: rhsv.org.au/
The Hostas we look at in this video are:
'So Sweet'
'Chartreuse Wiggles'
'Emeralds and Rubies'
'Shining Tot'
'Blue Mouse Ears'
'Belstone Line'
'Big Daddy'
'Pineapple'
'Key West'
'Deep Blue Sea'
'kiwi'
'Moonlight'
'Sum and Substance'
'Kiwi Emerald Isle'
'Elegans'
'Halcyon'
'Beach Boy'
'Pizzazz'
'White Christmas'
'Neat Splash Rim'
'Gold Tiara'

[@paulacothren3591]

This was the most comprehensively useful hosta information I've seen outside of a Tony Avent Plant Delights tour. I'm near Plant Delights in North Carolina and I have many of my large hostas, such as Empress Wu, in a pot so that she can get the necessary cold during the winter.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

This is a great video. I do think that this channel works best as a purely educational resource - no chit chat or personal reflections, just really good quality horticultural info.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad you enjoy it! Regards Stephen

[@lynnfern2116]

I live in very rural mid-west Wales where we get a lot of rain & humidity. We have for many years, used nematode worms to control slugs. This means that there is absolutely no risk of secondary poisoning. However, they are less effective with snails because snails spend more time above ground, & the nematodes live in the soil. For a couple of years, we let our Khaki Campbell ducks loose in the garden area. They did a wonderful job for us.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Ducks are the perfect anti-snail device! Thanks for watching!

[@TheEnchantedWoodnymph1111]

Hello from Dallas Texas! Love your channel and Thank You💚🤠💚

[@thehorti-culturalists]

You are so welcome. Regards Stephen

[@scallywags12]

I like the thicker leaf hostas as slugs and snails seem to leave them alone. I do have a big hosta called Frances William variegated green and yellow. So nice to see lovely hostas at this garden and thanks!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

A pleasure. Regards Stephen

[@brocktoon8]

Big Daddy is GLORIOUS!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Isn't it! Thanks for watching!

[@lynmccullough4860]

Excellent information, entertaining as always and invaluable to have an understanding of how hostas perform in Australian conditions.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad you enjoyed it. Regards Stephen

[@sannaericditsler4034]

Thank you for the video. You guys are funny and plant knowledgeable too. I am also in indiana with crappy clay soil, so thanks for the ideas.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Our pleasure! Regards Stephen

[@docwild2867]

If you don't want to use snail bait, a beer trap works wonders. Thanks for all the hosta info.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Nothing like a drunk snail! Regards Stephen

[@suzannebartow6390]

Those little ones are adorable especially the variegated ones like Pandora's Box or Cameo, to decorate around other plants in beds.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I still struggle with dwarf forms of things that can be big bold and in your face, but if you love them that’s good. Regards Stephen

[@Berzyberz]

Thank you so much for the outstanding information. Sending 🌱💚 from Central Tasmania

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad you enjoyed our endeavours. Regards Stephen

[@jeanneclark99]

I love hostas. We also have a problem with slugs in Indiana (USA), but what I like about hostas is how tolerant they are of our semi-clay crappy soil. In northern Indiana, outside Knox, a fellow grows hundreds of hostas in the ground under a canopy of trees; he gives tours as well as sells them--lovely place! In a regular garden, I don't see the point of the tiny ones, either (except Blue Mouse Ears, a favorite of mine, too), but I have seen them looking lovely in fairy or miniature gardens. Thanks for the tour!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad you enjoyed the video and I think that Blue ouse Ears is a favourite with us all. Regards Stephen

[@johnsantangelo7773]

Great Hosta choices guys, good luck with them in your garden

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@joanne-et6pm]

Thanks for the great video again Stephen & matt I look forward to this each Friday with a drink! 🍷I'll hopefully try to grow one in my goldcoast garden 👍 Thanks again Guys Jo-Anne Goldcoast

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad it includes a drink! Regards Stephen

[@ben-fe3zy]

Really useful and entertaining video, thanks.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@davereed2500]

I agree that large leafed hostas are most desirable, but I've found that the miniatures are useful plugged into crevices in a shaded boulder wall along with native heucheras and ferns that also thrive into this unusual situation as I look to cram more plants into the garden. I've planted several mouse ear hostas, blue and variegated. I have far too many medium and large leafed hostas that must be treated monthly with a deer repellent, but with the garden covering most of our acre and a quarter I must cover the ground to cut down on maintenance. I find that deer rarely nibble the large leafed, heavily corrugated leafed hostas.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Hadn't thought of using the tiny ones in this way. Nor had I considered deer issues as we don't usually have this problem in Australia. Thanks for the input. Regards Stephen

[@patriciaterry5539]

Awesome I just found your channel! I’m from California the Central Valley! Great info. I have two hostas doing very well for now.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for subbing! Regards Stephen

[@brocktoon8]

Love Blue Mouse Ears! It's blue (check) and it reminds me of water lilies somehow. I might try to find that.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

It is so cute. Regards Stephen

[@LAWandCoach]

Great video. No questions. I have a "Francee" hosta and one the label says Green hosta. Jeez. Lazy hosta namers. Will be keeping both in pots as my shade area floods with hard rains. Hard to say how frequent these days. All the best and thanks for the smiles.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for sharing! Regards Stephen

[@suepercy8390]

Just about all of my hostas are in pots and are doing really well. I can avoid roots of large trees but more importantly I don’t stand on the dormant plants in my heavily planted gardens

[@thehorti-culturalists]

True enough. Nothng like that CRUNCH when you hear it. Regards Stephen

[@brocktoon8]

As much as I would like to get into hostas, they always remind me of "old lady" plants. But some of these are pretty neat!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Conversion therapy is what you need. So go forth and plant. Regards Stephen

[@makbruno1]

Lovely video as always. I recently found out that Stephen also have the National collection for Acanthus plant. I looked through your channel and only found one video on it. When are we going to see a complete varieties tour of that plant. Thank you always for your wonderful videos. I look forward to them every week.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Acanthus is a potential topic at some stage which will probably galvanise opinion! Regards Stephen

[@makbruno1]

Well, I am looking forward to it, whenever it drops. Glavanizers be damned. Jokes apart. I appreciate your reply (especially so quickly). Thank you. @@thehorti-culturalists

[@jaqmackie]

Funny I just bought two Hostas yesterday. First time growing them. But I do have huge Blue Tongue lizards so hopefully they keep the snails down 🤞

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Let’s hope so, Blue tongues would be a perfect control. Regards Stephen

[@biekken849]

Bedankt voor de informatie. Geweldige video.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Bedankt voor het kijken!

[@dennisrude6155]

Thank you so much for this help.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@jlee4304]

Excellent information on hosta's i will be making room for some in my shady woodland here in England hopefully they survive the slugs since ive been reducing the population of harmful species for 10 years 😅

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Glad we have inspired you. Regards Stephen

[@kathleentwyman7010]

Love your channel on hostas, I'm a lover of the flowers 💐 ❤️. Do you think young hydrangea trees need to be covered with netting from the cicadas Thank you ❤️

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I don’t think so however they aren’t a problem where I am from. Regards Stephen

[@LAWandCoach]

Hello from South Carolina (Try not to roll your eyes). Question after the video....

[@thehorti-culturalists]

...we're waiting!!!!

[@paulinecrispin121]

Thanks to both of you for this video. I love all hostas so great to have all this information 😊😊😊 I moved house a few months ago, I brought some hostas with me, which I have in containers. I know you spoke about having hostas in pots, but I would like to plant some of them in the garden, in the ground. I live in the south of England, which heavy soil. Can I plant them out now, as we go into winter or should I keep them in the pots and plant out in the spring?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I would plant in spring as they start to wake up. Regards Stephen

[@paulinecrispin121]

Many thanks 😊

[@bikegeist]

So much shade thrown at small hostas...heh. 😅 I think small hostas are great. If you've got a small garden, you can still enjoy hostas.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

E$ven the smallest garden can have some big Hostas. Regards Stephen

[@julielindholme9584]

I’m having an issue of yellowing side of the leaves way before Autumn. Are the true roots possibly causing this they have been in ground for approximately 7 years. Would it be better to put them in large pots and drip water under the trees?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Pots could easily be the best way to present your Hostas as I feel you could be right about the tree roots. Regards Stephen

[@FelixElliottHe]

Would terracotta pots under a shade cloth with Hosta’s on a raised platform work? Every time mine get destroyed by slugs.

[@MDA-rs4uf]

try putting shallow lids of beer out for your slugs and snails ...... they drown in the beer that they like...

[@thehorti-culturalists]

That would seem to be about the best way to grow them if you have a slug and snail problem. Regards Stephen

[@MDA-rs4uf]

are hostas fairly new to you all ??? they are so common for us here in the southeast US, and the fact that the deer eat them down to the ground make them just too much work,,,, for me. of course that is just me. why plant things as food for an unusually large rodent. i bought a membership for the RHS of UK hoping to go to Chelsea in 2025. I also want to go to Bressingham garden. Do you have any other suggestions for must see gardens in England?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Great Dixter, Sissinghurst, Wisley, Powes Castle, Bodnant, to name just a few that I would recommend. By the way Hostas aren’t new to us and in most parts of Australia deer are not an issue.Regards Stephen

[@LAWandCoach]

Guess which one of you has a slight liken to Charles Nelson Reilly.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Well it isn't me. Regards Stephen

[@pocketsofmayhem]

While slugs and snails can be problematic they don’t compare to what deer can do to a hosta garden… They are deer “crack” 😖

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Fortunately we haven’t got deer as a major issue in Australia so I can’t see a cure except for full deer fencing. Regards Stephen

[@calboy55]

Really? Big is Better? What kind of horticulturalists are you? If you don't understand the purpose of all sizes and all varieties of plants in a well balanced garden, well you are... we won't go there because of decorum. That comment alone made me wonder about all of the other information you provided in the video and how true and valid it is.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Some groups of plants are by nature big and bold and the nursery industry is inclined to breed things down under the impression that as gardens get smaller so should the plants. It was also said as a throw away line on another level so I am sorry that you don't get our sense of humour. Regards Stephen